---identifier: "/us/cfr/t5/s531.502"source: "ecfr"legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"title: "5 CFR § 531.502 - Definitions."title_number: 5title_name: "Administrative Personnel"section_number: "531.502"section_name: "Definitions."chapter_name: "OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT"subchapter_number: "B"subchapter_name: "CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS"part_number: "531"part_name: "PAY UNDER THE GENERAL SCHEDULE"positive_law: falsecurrency: "2026-03-24"last_updated: "2026-03-24"format_version: "1.1.0"generator: "[email protected]"authority: "5 U.S.C. 5115, 5307, and 5338; sec. 4 of Public Law 103-89, 107 Stat. 981; and E.O. 12748, 56 FR 4521, 3 CFR, 1991 Comp., p. 316; Subpart B also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5303(g), 5305, 5333, 5334(a) and (b), and 7701(b)(2); Subpart D also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5335 and 7701(b)(2); Subpart E also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5336; Subpart F also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5304, 5305, and 5941(a); E.O. 12883, 58 FR 63281, 3 CFR, 1993 Comp., p. 682; and E.O. 13106, 63 FR 68151, 3 CFR, 1998 Comp., p. 224."cfr_part: "531"---
Identifier
/us/cfr/t5/s531.502
Currency
2026-03-24
Positive Law
No
Updated
2026-03-24
Chapter
Office of Personnel Management
Authority
5 U.S.C. 5115, 5307, and 5338; sec. 4 of Public Law 103-89, 107 Stat. 981; and E.O. 12748, 56 FR 4521, 3 CFR, 1991 Comp., p. 316; Subpart B also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5303(g), 5305, 5333, 5334(a) and ... 5 U.S.C. 5115, 5307, and 5338; sec. 4 of Public Law 103-89, 107 Stat. 981; and E.O. 12748, 56 FR 4521, 3 CFR, 1991 Comp., p. 316; Subpart B also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5303(g), 5305, 5333, 5334(a) and (b), and 7701(b)(2); Subpart D also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5335 and 7701(b)(2); Subpart E also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5336; Subpart F also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5304, 5305, and 5941(a); E.O. 12883, 58 FR 63281, 3 CFR, 1993 Comp., p. 682; and E.O. 13106, 63 FR 68151, 3 CFR, 1998 Comp., p. 224.
# 531.502 Definitions.*Agency* means an agency defined in section 5102 of title 5, United States Code.*Employee* means an employee of an agency.*Quality step increase* is synonymous with the term “step increase” used in section 5336 of title 5, United States Code, and means an increase in an employee's rate of basic pay from one step or rate of the grade of his or her position to the next higher step of that grade or next higher rate within the grade (as defined in § 531.403) in accordance with section 5336 of title 5, United States Code, section 4 of the Performance Management and Recognition System Termination Act of 1993 (Pub. L. 103-89), and this subpart.[46 FR 2322, Jan. 9, 1981, as amended at 46 FR 41020, Aug. 14, 1981; 58 FR 65537, Dec. 15, 1993; 59 FR 40794, Aug. 10, 1994]